Arizona is facing a time of unprecedented insecurity and vulnerability, but we have come together to acclimate to a new normal. I, like many of my other fellow small business owners, have been confronting the new realities of life in an online marketplace. Adapting my business to become exclusively a digital store has not been an easy task, and unfortunately, there are those who wish to make this dynamic even more challenging.

In order to continue providing for our communities safely in this time of social distancing, we need the technological tools to do so. Small businesses are in the ideal position to keep our communities running – providing curbside pick-up and mobile ordering, while adhering to social distancing recommendations.

But we cannot do that alone. Companies, like mine, rely on tech provided by Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon to help us keep our virtual doors open at essentially no cost. In order to best serve our customers, it is critical that tools like customer service platforms, remote work solutions and digital order tracking remain accessible to us.

Access to these tools has become increasingly difficult as these companies are met with mounting government scrutiny. With our businesses relying on these tools, how are we meant to carry on in the face of actions like these? Our elected officials and policymakers going after tech companies truly hurts the small businesses that our communities depend on. Only with our local public officials working with our small business owners can we return to a semblance of normalcy while protecting the future of Arizona.

Mark Weech, CPA, established Weech Financial, PLLC in 2007. He has over 20 years of experience in public accounting and his firm specializes in tax and accounting consultation and tax return preparation services.